Mysteries Surround Me One Shot: Betrayal At The Battle Chateau
by 16Doobop13
Summary: Celebrating one year of my Mysteries Surround Me Series, I created a one-shot mystery fic for readers' enjoyment. Hubert Swanson and Ethel Ross, a pair of detectives, are suddenly and inexplicably summoned to a party at the Battle Chateau in Kalos, where tragedy strikes resulting in the murder of the hostess's butler.


Mysteries Surround Me One Shot(Series 1 Year (late)Anniversary Celebration):

Betrayal At The Battle Chateau

 _The biggest mystery is whether this will end up being canon with the rest of the series or not! Fufufufufu….._

* * *

Detective Hue Swanson's Current Pokemon Team:

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Close Combat, Stone Edge, Helping Hand

Akane(Ditto): Transform

* * *

Detective Ethel Ross's Current Pokemon Team:

Gardevoir: Moonblast, Draining Kiss, Heal Pulse, Psyshock

Ninetails: Extrasensory, Will-O-Wisp, Sunny Day, Inferno

* * *

The letter had arrived all the way from Kalos.

"We've been invited to a party at the Battle Chateau." Ethel Ross announced as she read the letter.

"We might want to get out the fancy clothes."

"What kind of party is it?" Hue asked. "And who is inviting us? Last I checked, the only familiar name to us in Kalos was Le Rouge, and I feel as though he would have asked us in person."

"As it so happens." Ethel continued. "The party is ballroom themed and the sender is one Anneliese Parfum. She resides in the nearby Parfum Palace."

"Should we go?" Hue pondered.

"I see no reason not to." Ethel answered. "It seems a perfectly fine letter, and sounds as though it would be a welcome change of pace from lazing about this office all day."

"I disagree." Hue dissented. "I believe it to be rather suspicious. Why invite strangers to such an event?"

"It's a sort of chivalry commonly found among the wealthy in Kalos." Ethel explained. "I wouldn't expect you to be familiar with it."

"However, we are not from Kalos." Hue countered. "So I still see no reason why our names would even end up appearing on Miss Parfum's radar."

"Miss? I don't recall ever mentioning that she was unmarried." Ethel gave Hue a stare.

"Do I sense some jealousy in your tone of voice?" Hue joked before returning to the conversation. "Of course she's unmarried. I'm familiar enough with ballroom parties to know that they're often for the wealthy to socialize with one another and make certain arrangements to help their family names prosper further."

"Oh, so is the reason you don't want to go because you're afraid I'll attract some suitors?" Ethel joked back at Hue. "Perhaps you're the jealous one."

"You're certainly adamant about attending." Hue laughed.

"Of course I am." Ethel replied. "There appears to be a small contest of Double Battles taking place, and the prize just so happens to be the exact amount of money we need to finally fix our broken air conditioner. Perhaps you can handle it, but this Fuchsia City weather is just too hot for me. Plus, when was the last time we went out that wasn't for a case?"

"That does sound tempting." Hue conceded. "Perhaps we can attend. You said to get our fancy clothes?"

"Indeed I did."

"In that case, I'll go start packing."

* * *

The Battle Chateau was largely decorated for the event.

"A ballroom party in the Battle Chateau." Hue pondered the situation. "Does that not seem a little...counterintuitive to you?"

"I believe the giant ballroom just passed the foyer is in fact the perfect place to host a ballroom party." Ethel announced. "Especially if one wanted pokemon battles to occur, considering where we are."

"Well, color me absolutely starstruck!" Davon Le Rouge, a mutual acquaintance of both Ethel's and Hue's announced his presence to them.

"Sir Hubert Swanson and Lady Ethel Ross have come all this way to Kalos! How do you like my home region so far, and what, may I ask, is your connection to Lady Parfum?"

"Davon Le Rouge, it's always a pleasure." Ethel curtseyed in her pink dress. "Kalos so far has been absolutely beautiful, and everyone has been very well mannered."

"It's great to see you again too, Davon." Hue said as he affectionately shook hands with his old friend. "As it turns out, neither one of us is quite sure why we were invited to this party, but we're not ones to back down from a Double Battle competition. And how about you? What are you doing here?"

"As it so happens…" Davon continued. "The Pokemon Performing Circuit here in Kalos has recently hired me as its new Master of Ceremonies. It appears my winning of the Grand Festival all those years ago still holds merit today."

"Indeed." Hue looked away.

Ethel looked down at the ground in a similar manner.

"Oh." Davon realized. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up-."

"Are you going to be okay?" Ethel asked Hue solemnly. "Do you want to go get something to drink?"

She looked back at Davon. "You honestly haven't changed have you? You can be really clueless sometimes you know?"

"I suppose so." Davon sighed. "And what with my younger brother failing to marry into a wealthy family, It falls on me to find someone to keep our name in the upper rings of Kalos society."

"You should try marrying a Gym Leader." A beautifully dressed young woman said as she and two butlers behind her walked into the room. Her long blonde hair paired gorgeously with her crystal blue eyes.

"Would that I could marry you, Lady Parfum." Davon took a knee as he kissed Lady Parfum's extended hand.

"Just as charming as our last encounter, I see." Lady Parfum smiled as she turned towards Hue and Ethel.

"And might I say that the two of you look absolutely dashing tonight. Tell me, have you come to this party together, or to mingle?"

"Together." Hue, having recovered, answered. "But, you should know that shouldn't you? You sent us the invitation."

"Of course, of course." Lady Parfum replied. "But I was simply...curious I suppose. I wondered if the two of you were in fact a-."

"This perhaps, is not the best time for this particular conversation to take place." Ethel chimed in.

"Curiosity is the job of the detectives, not the hostess of a party." Hue insisted.

"Oh dear, you look like you are having little to no fun here." Lady Parfum sighed.

"Quentin, Quimby." She snapped her fingers.

"M'lady." The butler on her left bowed at her side.

"M'lady." The butler on her right bowed at her side.

Both butlers looked nearly identical to each other. Buzzcut brown hair on a long head and eyes that seemed to be permanently closed.

The only difference between them was which eye was covered by their monocles.

Quentin's right eye was covered, while Quimby's left eye was covered.

"Bring a smile to this detective's long face! Make him feel welcome!"

"M'lady." Both butler's said as they stood up and walked towards Hue and Ethel.

They each took off a white glove they were wearing and threw it at Ethel's and Hue's feet.

"Would the couple care for a double battle?" The butlers asked.

Ethel and Hue looked at each other.

"What is it that you want to bet?" Ethel asked.

"How about we bet?" Quentin pointed.

"Your date here?" Quimby finished as he also pointed.

"Excuse me?" Hue tilted his head. "How does that work?"

"We are in direct service to her Lady Anneliese Parfum IV." Quentin stated.

"As such, this shall be a battle between yourselves and her, and she was quite interested in getting to know the good detective better you see."

Ethel's eyes narrowed.

"Of course she was." She sighed. "And you believe that defeating me in battle is the best way to ensure he converses with your master, do you?"

"I'm glad that our point has gotten across." Both butlers stated with bows.

"Then, perhaps I could referee the battle." Davon announced. "Considering you'll need one."

"A ref is not required on your part, Sir LeRouge." Lady Parfum stated. "For Alexis and Allison are both capable maids of the Chateau that ref all double battles."

"You called, M'lady?" Both maids/refs appeared out of what seemed to be nowhere.

"Indeed." Lady Parfum replied. "Please oversee the ensuing double battle."

"Of course M'lady." Both maids curtseyed.

"When was the last time either of you double battled together?" Quentin asked.

"For we are known as the Kalos Kings of Tag Battles." Quimby bragged as he stepped in what appeared to be a puddle of sorts.

"Careful there!" Both maids announced. "The floor is wet there!"

Quimby gave a bow to show his understanding and awaited Ethel's and Hue's response to his claim.

"We have never partaken in a double battle together-" Ethel began.

"Then you have no hope of-" Both butlers began to shake their heads.

"And lost." Hue finished bluntly, interrupting the butlers who had interrupted Ethel's sentence.

"The match between Ethel Ross and Hubert Swanson VS Quentin and Quimby will now begin!" Alexis announced.

"The winner of the battle will win the right to spend the party with Hubert Swanson." Allison continued.

"This battle will be a 2v2 Double Battle. The battle will be over when all of either sides Pokemon are no longer able to battle." Both maids announced.

"Are you prepared?" Ethel asked Hue in a hushed tone.

"It's perhaps a tad spur of the moment." Hue noticed. "I also find it strange that, of all people, she'd want to speak with me, and not someone like Davon, who seems like a much better candidate to bring to this place."

"Go, Golurk!" Quentin announced.

"Bisharp, your services are required!" Quimby stated as both butlers sent out their Pokemon.

"An interesting choice of Pokemon, wouldn't you say?" Lady Parfum smiled as she stood back. "Quentin and Quimby are designated to both serve and protect me after all."

Ethel and Hue nodded at each other and sent out their Pokemon.

"Gallade!" Arthur announced as he emerged from Hue's pokeball.

"Gardevoir!" Gardevoir hummed as she came out of Ethel's pokeball.

Hue and Ethel smiled at each other, happy to be on the same page in terms of who they wanted the other to send out.

"Battle, Start!" Both maids announced.

"Let's start this off the way we normally do!" Hue announced. "Arthur, use Helping Hand!"

"Gardevoir, use Moonblast on the Golurk!" Ethel called out while Arthur cheered on Gardevoir.

"Gardeeee...voir!" Gardevoir shot a beam of moonlight towards the Golurk as it hit the Pokemon head on, and at that very moment…

A blackout happened.

No one could see anything.

* * *

"What in the world?" Lady Parfum asked. "I thought that problem was fixed already! Alexis, Allison, what is the meaning of this! I demand you restore light to this establishment!"

"So sorry M'lady." Both maids said at once. "We'll get right on that. As for now, the battle has been postponed."

"Hue, is that you?" Ethel asked as she grabbed onto Hue's suit.

"Yeah, that's me. Is this you?" He asked as he held an arm around Ethel's shoulder.

"Yes." Ethel replied.

"Perhaps it would be a good idea to light up the area, even just a little bit."

"Right."

Ethel sent out her Ninetails, while Hue sent out Akane, his Ditto.

"Ninetails, use Will-o-Wisp to light up the darkness." Ethel announced.

"Akane, use Transform on Ninetails and then do the same."

As the small flames began to light up the room, the gasps of all the guests at the party echoed through the Chateau.

Quentin, Golurk's trainer, lay dead on the ground.

"What is the meaning of this?" Lady Parfum gasped. She turned to Quimby, who seemed incredibly taken aback. "Quimby, what happened?"

"I don't understand it myself, M'lady." Quimby stated. "But Quentin appears to have died during the blackout."

Lady Parfum looked to Hue and Ethel.

"You two! I'm inclined to believe this is your fault somehow. After all, you had just fired off a Moonblast made even more powerful by a Helping Hand, it's possible that the attack could have hit Quentin. You're detectives are you not? If you don't want to be the ones held responsible for his murder, then you need to tell me who is!"

"We'd need to investigate first." Hue said. "And we'll have to wait until the maids turn the lights back on, unless anyone here has the move Flash at their disposal for us to use."

No one did.

Fortunately, the blackout did not last much longer.

"We've done it!" Both maids exclaimed joyfully as the power came back on.

They were standing near a pair of Elekid that were waving their arms like windmills, charging the breaker with the electricity it needed.

"Time to check the body then." Hue said as he walked up towards Quentin's body.

He moved the butler over so that the corpse lay on its back.

"Interesting." Hue stated.

"There are no signs of any external wounds on the body, but the man before me is quite clearly deceased."

Hue picked up Quentin's arm.

"And recently. Rigor Mortis has yet to set in."

Ethel looked through Quentin's possessions.

"I see a single pokeball." She stated.

"Ah yes, that's the pokeball he keeps Golurk in." Quimby informed her as he bent down to pick up the pokeball and put it next to his own pokeball on his belt.

"Speaking of Golurk." Ethel's eyes narrowed at Quimby.

"Considering Quentin is dead, who now will take care of it?"

"That duty will have to be mine until I find another suitable butler to replace him." Lady Parfum said. She snapped her fingers.

"Quimby, Golurk's pokeball."

"Yes, M'lady." Quimby said as he tossed Golurk's pokeball her way.

Lady Parfum then pointed the pokeball towards Golurk.

"For now Golurk, please return." She requested the large Pokemon to return to its pokeball.

"Hm…" Hue looked into Quentin's mouth.

"Ah...I see what's going on here."

He held out a finger cased in Quentin's saliva to Ethel.

"Want a taste."

Ethel gently sucked on Hue's finger before he pulled it out of her mouth.

"Ah…" Ethel realized the same thing he had. "Yes, that does explain things rather well."

"What does?" Davon asked.

"The cause of death was not being wounded externally." He announced. "It was poison."

"And you could tell by...licking his saliva?" Someone in the crowd asked with a mixture of curiosity and disgust.

"Of course." Ethel replied. "It's a poison that's honestly rather harmless in small levels, but incredibly lethal in larger quantities."

She and Hue both nodded at each other and turned to face the crowd.

"Chlorine." Both of them announced.

"Chlorine?" Lady Parfum asked.

"It's a chemical." Hue said.

"And it's often put in pool water, in order to keep the water clean. But when inhaled or ingested by itself, it's a lethal poison that can kill you on the spot."

"But then...how on earth did someone bring chlorine in here?"

"No one needed to." Ethel shook her head.

She looked over at the two maids.

"Right?" She asked.

"We have no idea what she's talking about!" Alexis exclaimed.

"She's just trying to cover for herself!" Allison continued.

"No she isn't." Hue shook his head.

"Doesn't anyone remember what Lady Parfum said? She said that she thought the problem, namely the blackout, had already been fixed by the time this party started.

It doesn't make sense that it would just happen. Besides, you took far longer to turn the lights back on than would be necessary, considering all you had to do was send out Elekids to have them generate electricity."

"Excellent reasoning and observation as always." Ethel said with a smile.

"I only worked with what you discovered for me." Hue smiled back.

"What does that mean though?" Davon asked.

"In short…" Hue replied. "This blackout was planned. Planned by both the maids. So the one who snuck the chlorine in didn't need to be sneaky about it. The maids just needed to keep quiet."

The maids both gave quiet growls.

"That brings us to our next point." Ethel said. "Namely, who could possibly have access to chlorine. There is one particular person here who comes to mind."

Ethel turned to Lady Parfum.

"M'lady, were you aware that your palace gardens contain a chlorine filled river?"

"They do?" Lady Parfum gasped.

"Yes." Hue answered. "And I have a feeling that everyone here knows who tends them. It would be both your butlers wouldn't it?"

"Y-yes, that's true but-"

"Unfortunately, M'lady." Ethel said. "One of your butlers must have brought the Chlorine over."

"Hold on now!" Quimby stated. "Quentin must've brought it then because, I sure as hell didn't and-"

"They never learn do they?" Hue sighed. "Tell him Ethel, and expose a shocking truth to everyone here."

"You're right." Ethel said. "Quentin did bring the Chlorine over...but that doesn't mean that you didn't."

She turned back to everyone else.

"When I was searching through the dead man's belongings, I found a pokeball. We all were told, right away, that it was the pokeball for Golurk. However, what was the point of taking it away from the body? If it was to return Golurk, I would have been perfectly capable of doing that. Instead, Quimby snatched the pokeball up before I could take it. The only explanation I could think of...is that you didn't want me to open it."

"But why would he not-?" Lady Parfum asked.

"Because of what was inside." Ethel continued. "When the lights came back on, Bisharp had already been returned. And his pokeball was on the corpse."

"But why?" Davon asked. "Why would Bisharp be on Quentin's body?"

"Bisharp wouldn't." Hue announced.

"Because that body isn't Quentin." Ethel said. "It's Quimby. He's only had the side his monocle is on switched to make him appear to be Quentin."

"Pffft...Bw..bwahahahahahahaaaa!" Quentin laughed. "You figured out I'm really Quentin did you? No matter. It doesn't change anything. You still don't have any proof that I'm the one who did it and besides it's…"

He looked at the sullen smiles on Hue's and Ethel's faces.

"Good job, Quentin." Ethel said.

"You used us to do your dirty work." Hue continued. "Unfortunately, we were used unknowingly by you so the responsibility for murder is still yours. You knew. You knew the Pokemon we had on us."

"I don't follow." Davon shook his head.

"We were the ones who lit up the area earlier with Will-O-Wisp." Ethel replied.

"The heat from the fire likely evaporated the water that Quimby was standing on, causing the Chlorine to break off from the rest of the water and suffocate him. And you knew that would happen, didn't you Quentin?"

"Pfft. You're grasping at straws." Quentin announced. "All I heard was your admittance of your own guilt. Not mine. How on earth could I know your Pokemon teams?"

"Because you wrote the invitation for us." Hue said. "Lady Parfum didn't even know we came here together, despite inviting us to the party together. I can only assume that she had her butlers write the invitations out for her instead. You likely wrote to us yourself, which would have given you ample opportunity to do research on us. You would need to to find out our address after all, considering we live in a completely different region."

"And, I have with me.." Ethel held up the envelope that their invitation had arrived in.

"The envelope of our letter."

"We can have a police officer come over here in no time and dust it for fingerprints." Hue stated.

"He won't find Ethel's though, after all, while she's wearing those fancy and frilly pink gloves right now, she often wears white gloves back home, so her fingerprints won't appear. And I've never even touched the letter. The only prints they'll find will be the killer's."

Ethel stuck out the envelope towards Quentin. "You could snatch it from me And try to destroy the evidence, but that would only prove your guilt even more in the eyes of the public."

"But not the courtroom!" Quentin lunged for the letter.

Hue, who had not let go of Ethel the entire time, swung her out of harm's way, sending Quentin straight into Davon, who held him down right away.

The local police were then called and Quentin and the maids were arrested.

"So what was the motive for it?" Davon asked.

Hue and Ethel looked at each other and nodded.

Hue turned to Davon. "Why did you believe that you could not marry Lady Parfum?" He asked.

"Well, Lady Parfum is closely guarded by-."

"Lady Parfum was the object of both their affection." Hue said. "They both admired her a great deal, and she likely preferred Quimby over Quentin. A murder due to romantic feelings...how very Kalos-like…"

"Speaking of romance…" Ethel said. "What ever happened to Karen Walls?"

"Oh." Davon gave a small sigh. "Well, Sir Swanson and I have one more thing in common I guess. Both Karen and...she were-"

"Well we better get going." Hue quickly announced as he locked arms with Ethel and hurried out of the Battle Chateau. Both of them silently swearing never to return there again.

* * *

"I guess you were right." Ethel said to Hue as the two of them sat down on the flight back to Kanto. "The letter was too suspicious after all. I should have seen that coming."

"It's normal to want to spend time together that isn't solving a case though." Hue agreed. "The entire reason I allowed myself to be persuaded was because I wanted to enjoy some vacation time with you as well."

"Maybe we can set aside some time next week." Ethel said as Hue began to rummage through his suitcase, looking for something.

"What are you doing?" Ethel asked as she noticed Hue pull out a small container.

He got out of his seat, turned to Ethel, and took a knee as he opened it to reveal a diamond ring.

"How about we get married instead?" He offered. Ethel cupped her hands together and gasped.

"That's not a no is it?" Hue asked.

"Of course it's not a no!" Ethel's voice, for the first time in her life, cracked. "Yes, yes of course, yes!" She could hardly believe that all her years of patience had finally and truly paid off.

The now engaged couple then enjoyed the most beautiful plane ride back to Kanto.

 ** _Fin_**


End file.
